The San Francisco school board’s new president broke with protocol Tuesday night by deciding to skip the Pledge of Allegiance before a meeting, The San Francisco Chronicle reported.

In its place, Steven Cook recited a quote from the poet Maya Angelou: “When you learn, teach. When you get, give.”

Cook told The Chronicle he chose not to enforce the pledge because of his disappointment with the political climate. He said the Trump administration “has been attacking our liberties.”….

Cook said he will read an inspirational quote from influential Americans before each meeting.
“There are a lot of ways to expre
ss gratitude and appreciation for the county and its citizens,” he said. “This is how I plan to do that.”

Cook played down any parallels to former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who drew controversy for refusing to stand for the national anthem before NFL games in the 2016 season.